This invention relates to travel luggage and more particularly to a garment bag that includes a novel perimeter closure on folding to form a unitary pack or satchel, in combination with alternate carrying means to convert the garment bag from travel luggage to a backpack.
Seasoned travelers, having experienced the vagaries of transportation systems and transitory accommodations, readily prefer a style of luggage that is classified as "carry-on" by the airlines. Such luggage must either fit under the airline seat or be of a size and softness to fit in an overhead storage cabinet. Compliance with this informal standard will enable the passenger to avoid baggage check-in and time consuming, baggage claim with the attendant potential of loss or incorrect routing of luggage. Compact carry on luggage has the benefit to the airline for anti-terrorist measures as all such luggage is x-rayed and associated with a passenger.
Because such luggage must predominantly be carried with the traveler, the luggage must be efficiently organized with various means for convenient portage maximizing free use of the hands during boarding procedures.
In conformity with this independent style of air travel, the dynamic traveler will desire a style of luggage that can be tirelessly carried substantial distances during walking tours, or bus, train and ferry transports prior to check-in or after check-out at hotels or other lodging. The sophisticated pleasure traveler and business traveler will want all such convenience features plus the ability to pack formal wear or business attire without the need for pressing before wearing.
While prior art luggage designs include features to satisfy one or more of the above described criteria, no previous design fulfills all desired requirements. Of greatest difficulty is the adaptation of a garment bag to an all purpose travel bag. Simply adding a shoulder strap or a back pack harness to a conventional garment bag will be inadequate to preserve the integrity of the garments contained therein. Particular precautions and design features must be combined to produce a hangable garment bag that can be compacted to a unitary soft pack of sufficient structural substance to adapt the pack for portage by a handle, a shoulder strap and in particular backpack harness.